Archives for June 2020

Ye shall make you no idols nor graven image, neither rear you up a standing image, neither shall ye set up any image of stone in your land, to bow down unto it: for I am the LORD your God.

Leviticus 26:1

God takes idolatry very seriously. It is a threat to His preeminence in our lives and must be treated as such. Idols are physical or spiritual images that take the place of love for God in our hearts. Idolatry is all about lust and wrong desires. Anything can be an idol. It used to be that idols were images carved out of wood or stone or gold that people bowed down to and worshiped. Now, idols are anything that one bows down to in his or her heart.

Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their heart, and put the stumblingblock of their iniquity before their face: should I be enquired of at all by them? Therefore speak unto them, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Every man of the house of Israel that setteth up his idols in his heart, and putteth the stumblingblock of his iniquity before his face, and cometh to the prophet; I the LORD will answer him that cometh according to the multitude of his idols; That I may take the house of Israel in their own heart, because they are all estranged from me through their idols. Therefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Repent, and turn yourselves from your idols; and turn away your faces from all your abominations. For every one of the house of Israel, or of the stranger that sojourneth in Israel, which separateth himself from me, and setteth up his idols in his heart, and putteth the stumblingblock of his iniquity before his face, and cometh to a prophet to enquire of him concerning me; I the LORD will answer him by myself: And I will set my face against that man, and will make him a sign and a proverb, and I will cut him off from the midst of my people; and ye shall know that I am the LORD.

Ezekiel 14:3-8

God treats the matter of idolatry with a Father’s heart. He loves His people and does not desire that they forsake Him with their hearts. When someone sets up an idolatrous image in their hearts and minds, it grieves the heart of God, it injures the heart of God. God’s kingdom is made up of people that have put away idolatry far from their hearts. To them, God alone is to be worshiped and praised. He alone is to have the adoration of their hearts.

God is a jealous God. Jealous for the affection and attention of His people. He does not tolerate false idols in our lives. He lovingly exposes the idols for what they are and makes sure that we understand the severity of our treason against God. When God reveals an idol in your life, the best thing to do is what they did in the Old Testament days: smash them! Destroy them! Burn them! Throw them away from you like you would a dirty rag.

God has revealed idols in my life over the past several years. My CD collection was the first thing to go. It was a false idol in my life. I rejoiced in it more than I rejoiced in the Lord. It was mainly worldly music, which God takes no pleasure in. So, I did what the Lord told me to do. I got rid of my CD collection. Then it was my DVD collection, full of ungodly movies that don’t please or glorify the Lord. Then it was my addiction to pornography. Those are literally false images, set up for men to bow down to and worship. I purpose in my heart not to bow down to those images anymore, by the grace of God. So we see that anything can be an idol when it competes for affection to God. We need the same heart for these things that God has. Zero toleration. A little leaven leavens the whole lump. Destroy these false idols before they destroy you!

That they have committed adultery, and blood is in their hands, and with their idols have they committed adultery, and have also caused their sons, whom they bare unto me, to pass for them through the fire, to devour them.

Ezekiel 23:37

One day the faithful bride will be married to Jesus Christ. Right now we are engaged to be married to Jesus Christ, by the gift of the Holy Spirit. Christ is coming back for a pure bride, free from the pollutions of the world. Idols in our lives causes us to commit spiritual adultery against God and His Son Jesus Christ. It’s profane and needs to be dealt with. You must remove any graven images from your life, be they physical or spiritual or both. On judgement day, Christ will not tolerate any idols that were in your life. Now is the appointed time, today is the day of salvation. Rid yourself of what is holding you back from being a pleasing vessel unto the Lord. You must take this as seriously as God takes it, or the end will be destruction and perdition, away from the face of God forever. Fire and brimstone. Hell awaits any unrepentant idolater.

Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to God: But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood.

Acts 15:19-20

It’s interesting that the believers of the New Testament church found idolatry so important that it was mentioned as something to abstain from for the Gentile believers of that day. It is a short list of 4 things, but idolatry is mentioned among them. God hated it in the OT, and still hates it now in the NT. God will always hate that which separates a man from Him. Go now and make sure your hearts, that they flee from idolatry and every evil work. No sinner will enter heaven. Only ex-sinners who have repented of their evil and their witchcraft of idolatry.

And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

2 Corinthians 6:16

We are to be God’s temple. We are to be God’s dwelling place by the Holy Spirit. We are to be God’s people. What separates us from the world? A burning hatred for sin in all its forms, including idolatry. The temple of God, us, has no agreement, has no company with idols. Put away those filthy images and be conformed to the image of Jesus Christ. Christ in His love is withholding judgement, giving us time to be transformed to His will, which is holiness and righteousness. He is giving us time to smash the idols in our lives. We can’t play around with idols. That is harlotry. That is fornication. That is spiritual adultery against God. Put it all away and live only for the glory of God. Time is running out! Soon Christ will return or you will die and will be face to face with the God you claimed to love. Make sure your love is genuine and sincere by departing from every evil work.

For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God;

1 Thessalonians 1:9

These idols try to take the place of God in our hearts. They are false. They are liars. There is no truth in them. They will destroy you if you don’t destroy them first. You can’t walk God’s way and the way of idols at the same time. Choose you this day whom you will serve. You must turn from idols to serve the living and true God. God will not accept you as long as you are determined to hold onto your false idols. Root them out of your heart, as painful as it may be in the short term. In the long term you will be thankful. Put away the temporal pleasures of wicked things so that you may have eternal pleasures with God and His kingdom of righteousness.

Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.

1 John 5:21

John ends the epistle of 1 John with a very important warning to the spiritually immature believers. Keep yourself from idols. Notice that the Lord will not be the one to do the keeping. It’s your heart and it must be your choice to forsake the things of the world, to forsake these false images, these idols that compete for the affection of your heart. God will give you grace of His Word and His Spirit to help you when you are tempted. He will make a way of escape. He can’t override your will. He can’t change your heart without your will and permission. It is a sign of spiritual maturity that one has cut out idols out of his or her life. Let us go on to spiritual maturity in all things. Let the days of idolatry be the days of the past!

Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:

Colossians 3:5

Paul gives us further clarification as to what idolatry is. Covetousness is idolatry. Greedy desires to have more and more of the world. That is covetousness. Love not the world, neither the things or idols that are in the world. Love God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of mankind. Keeping His commandments will keep you in the path that leads to righteousness. You will be far from the path of idolatry and wickedness. Make your calling and election sure by laying hold of, by seizing eternal life. Flee from idolatry! Run the way of righteousness as God enlarges your heart. Seek the Lord and His righteousness forevermore. Tell the Lord your heart belongs to Him and then show it to be true by loving Him daily, by picking up your cross and following Christ daily. There is no other way to show love than to lay down your life for God’s sake. Be willing to cut out idols out of your life, rather, allow God to cut them out with the sword of His Spirit, the Word of God. Beware of idols, but be at peace in the Lord. He will reveal what needs to go out of your life. If your heart doesn’t condemn you, then you have confidence towards God. Amen.

They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house; and thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures.

Psalm 36:8

Just like I recently wrote about in my post about the Two Mountains, there are two other choices awaiting the people of God and the people of the devil. To choose God’s mountain is to choose God’s river. To choose satan’s mountain is to choose satan’s river. We will be examining the two rivers, but let us start with the righteous choice, God’s river of life and truth.

God’s river is a river of pleasure. It feels good to do what is right in God’s eyes. Satan’s river is also a river of pleasure, but that pleasure is found in doing what is evil and sensual. We must forsake satan’s river of lies and be well watered with the river of life which flows from the throne of God. His Word is that river. His Word flows by the power of the Holy Spirit. God’s river is a holy river of love and life. It deeply satisfies like no counterfeit river can. When we receive the in grafted Word of God, it bears fruit in our lives. Fruit full of water, the truth of God’s Word. We shall be abundantly satisfied from this river of life.

There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High.

Psalm 46:4

The river of God makes us glad, makes us happy and joyful! It is a holy river fit for a holy city called New Jerusalem. The people of God, both OT and NT combined are this city called New Jerusalem. Notice that the river is broken down into smaller streams, each containing the life giving power of the main river. When we share the Truth with people, we are sharing a stream of the Word of God, which when combined with the witnesses of other saints, together joins again into a mighty river of God, the complete and total witness of God’s Word.

Thou visitest the earth, and waterest it: thou greatly enrichest it with the river of God, which is full of water: thou preparest them corn, when thou hast so provided for it.

Psalm 65:9

The river of God is full of water! It is a mighty, powerful, wide and deep river filled with all kinds of life and truth. It refreshes the soul just to think about the treasures that are in this river. The river has enough water to supply all kinds of fruits from all kinds of righteous trees. The river is the source of all life. No matter how much is taken from it, it still is full of water. Just like the miracles of Jesus multiplying the bread and the fish, there is always more left over. We cannot exhaust the goodness of God. It keeps flowing and flowing and flowing from the heart of God, through His people, the church, the body of Christ. Let the goodness of God flow through you and you will see that it will multiply without taking anything permanent from you.

For thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river, and the glory of the Gentiles like a flowing stream: then shall ye suck, ye shall be borne upon her sides, and be dandled upon her knees.

Isaiah 66:12

Here God is speaking of New Jerusalem, the holy city of God, the people of the most high God. He will extend peace and glory. Because the river of God is a river of righteousness, it necessarily produces peace in our lives when we partake of His righteousness and live righteously ourselves. This is glorious, when we walk in God’s ways. This is for both the natural Jew and natural Gentile, so that they may become the true spiritual Jews with circumcised hearts. The Holy Spirit is that Spirit of glory that flows like a river or a stream. Let the glory of God be upon you by His Spirit as He flows in love and mercy to mankind.

Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

Psalm 1:1-3

Because the righteous man or woman of God meditates in the Word of God day and night, he or she is like a mighty, strong tree planted by the rivers of water. The Word of God are those rivers of living water that Jesus spoke of. Without the water, there can be no fruit. We are the trees of God, designed to bear good fruit of holiness and righteousness. We are meant to absorb the Word of God, the water of God. As the tree is strengthened, it matures naturally and becomes of fruit bearing age. The fruit on the tree is not for us. It is for the nations to partake of. Let your light shine so that people may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in heaven. Let them pluck your ripe fruit and enjoy the pleasures of the kingdom of God. We were made for the service of God and mankind, just like a tree. We will not dry up, for we are fed continually by the Word of God. Let us keep our ears to the Bible, so that we may have food to feed those who come to us.

He brought streams also out of the rock, and caused waters to run down like rivers.

Psalm 78:16

The river of God flows out of the Rock of Jesus Christ. He is the stone set at naught by the builders. It may seem impossible that life would flow out of a rock, but this is no ordinary Rock. Christ is the living God, the son of man, sent to minister to the needs of mankind and of God. He is the ever giving, ever living Rock and it is His life that flows like a river. The strength of the Rock produces the mighty strength of the river of God. Remember that all good things flow through Jesus Christ. He is the beloved Son in whom God the Father is well pleased.

Let thy fountains be dispersed abroad, and rivers of waters in the streets.

Proverbs 5:16

The River of God is meant to be shared freely with others. Share it at work, share it at home, share it in the streets, share it in the dark, dangerous places. It is a River but also a Light, shining forth the glory of God and flowing with the glory of God. Selfishness has no part in the River of God. God is not willing that any should perish without the life giving power of His mighty River, His mighty Word, His Son Jesus Christ.

Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert. The beast of the field shall honour me, the dragons and the owls: because I give waters in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert, to give drink to my people, my chosen.

Isaiah 43:19-20

Even in dry, barren places where there is no life, there is still hope! Because there is a mighty River, flowing with life and hope to all nations. All nations were made to drink of this ONE river, in unity of the Holy Spirit. We were made to be ONE body of Christ, ONE body of believers. Notice that you have to be a child of God to drink from this River. As soon as a sinner forsakes the nasty, polluted waters of satan and turns His heart to Christ, He takes His first drink of the living water that flows in the river of God.

In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)

John 7:37-39

Those that come to Jesus and are Born Again are automatically made ready to be baptized with the Holy Spirit. The Spirit is He who gives life satisfying Words of eternal life. The Spirit is He who glorifies Jesus Christ. The Spirit is He who transforms a life from darkness to light in the power and authority of Jesus Christ. We really need Jesus and we need to obey Christ’s command to be filled with His Holy Spirit, so that we may flow love and mercy and truth to the nations.

And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.

Revelation 22:1-2

The river of God flows from His throne, from the mouth of God and of Christ. It is an effortless flowing. God is giving Himself away to His children with all of His heart. It is a pure river of life. There are no lies of the enemy in this river. There is no death or decay in this river. Jesus is the tree of life that is on both sides of the river, in easy access to any sinner that wants to be set free from the curse of sin. We are the twelve fruits. God (3) is multiplying Himself in the world (4). 3×4 is twelve. God multiplies His goodness through His Spirit filled people. The leaves on the tree are for the healing of the nations. This is not some future end times period. This is available right now to all people, everywhere. God just needs us to be faithful witnesses and take the streams of this river with us everywhere we go. Bringing with us Truth and life and power and goodness and healing and deep satisfaction to all that partake of it.

And by the river upon the bank thereof, on this side and on that side, shall grow all trees for meat, whose leaf shall not fade, neither shall the fruit thereof be consumed: it shall bring forth new fruit according to his months, because their waters they issued out of the sanctuary: and the fruit thereof shall be for meat, and the leaf thereof for medicine.

Ezekiel 47:12

We see another picture of this mighty River in Ezekiel. The trees reproduce food for the nations, the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The fruit is eaten but it is not consumed, for it is an ever fruitful tree! That is our life in Christ! We can give away the fruit of our lives, the fruit of the Spirit, and not be consumed, for new fruit is already on its way! Again, the leaves are for healing medicine. The Word of God is our spiritual medicine to the healing of all things, physical and spiritual.

The river of God is full of all good things. It is pure and undefiled. One must forsake his or her life of sin and be reborn as a new creature in Christ before he or she can drink of the waters of life in this river. The river of God is full of fish! Those ex-sinners that have been caught with the hook of Truth and are now God’s fish, swimming freely in the wonderful waters of His Word. There is a counterfeit river, however, which we shall now look at.

And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood. And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth. And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.

Revelation 12:15-17

There is an unholy river of lies flowing out of the mouth of the serpent, satan. He is trying to have the woman of the New Testament church be carried away with His flood or river of lies. It is a defiled river, having all manner of fornication and lusts and adulteries and perverseness. Every wicked thing is found in his river. It is a river of death. Warning! Do not drink from His polluted waters. They promise life but spiritually they are death and decay. Only fools and the gullible people drink from his spurious fountain of putrid, foul lies. The earth, the world is the one feeding on his lies. The true bride, the pure and holy woman of God is no longer drinking from these polluted streams of so called water. God calls us to come out from among the world, be separate and He will receive us and give us living water to drink. In the natural, who would drink the putrid, black, disgusting water? Nobody! It is rejected for the filth it is! So likewise, spiritually reject Satan and his river of lies and death. The end of his river is the lake of fire. The end of the river of God is eternal life in the new heaven and new earth.

So there you have it. Two rivers. One of life and one of death. Choose you this day who you will serve, God or the devil. Once you choose God and His ways, never ever stop walking in His holy path of righteousness. The devil will not give up and will keep trying to deceive you with his lies. Hold fast to the things Christ teaches and do not be moved. Drink freely of the waters of LIFE and you shall never thirst again. Amen.

Ye shall walk after the LORD your God, and fear him, and keep his commandments, and obey his voice, and ye shall serve him, and cleave unto him.

Deuteronomy 13:4

When we fear God, we walk after His leading and guidance. It’s up to us to humble ourselves and seek the face of God. God will not make us fear Him. The starting point is to keep God’s written Word, the Bible. That’s where Jesus started as well, by quoting the Bible and saying “it is written”. We also need to obey the voice of God’s Holy Spirit. Jesus sent back the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost. We must be filled with the Spirit before we can really hear and obey God’s still small voice.

When we fear God, we serve Him. It is no longer I that live, but Christ lives in me. We follow the steps of Christ and obey the Father’s commandments. His commandments are not burdensome. We were created to serve God, love Him, and keep His commandments, for our good always. While serving God, He also makes us servants of our fellow mankind, too. Just like Christ laid down His life for the Father and for the world, so do we.

When we fear God, we cleave to Him. To cleave means to stick like glue. We are inseparable from God and His ways. God also uses the word cleave to describe the husband wife relationship. Just as a man sticks like glue to his wife, so should we have a hunger and thirst for the living God. Obedience to God’s commands are no longer optional. Doing the will of the Father is our very life and His commandments bring illumination to our hearts and minds.

And it shall be with him, and he shall read therein all the days of his life: that he may learn to fear the LORD his God, to keep all the words of this law and these statutes, to do them:

Deuteronomy 17:19

God commanded that the king of Israel be well acquainted with His law or His Word. God required of him a constant study of His Word, so that he may learn to fear God. Fearing God is taught to us by the Word of God. We must humble ourselves before the Lord and LISTEN to what He has to say. When one fears God, he or she keeps ALL the Word. It’s not negotiable. God expects us to DO His commandments. Unless our actions line up with the Word of God, we cannot truly say that we fear God. It’s a learning process, so God is long-suffering with us and will wait patiently for us to learn the lesson that He must be feared in all things. As you obey God in the little things, He will make you ruler over much.

That all the people of the earth might know the hand of the LORD, that it is mighty: that ye might fear the LORD your God for ever.

Joshua 4:24

When we fear God, it will cause the world to rethink their lack of a relationship with God. Doing the will of God from the heart is the only way to please God. He expects us to influence the world by our words and actions. We must guard our hearts from being influenced by the world. They are surely trying to get us to go their way, which is the way of death. The fear of God is the path of life and so it’s for our neighbor’s good that we do the will of God always.

God intends an eternal relationship with us, His people. So it stands to reason that we must fear God forever and ever. The word fear in the Hebrew means to reverence. It means that we don’t walk around in terror that the Lord will strike us dead at any moment. Our relationship is founded on love and mercy and so we can expect a patient and loving Father to look after us and take care of us, slowly teaching us how to fear Him.

The transgression of the wicked saith within my heart, that there is no fear of God before his eyes.

Psalm 36:1

When people are constantly transgressing the Word of God and living how they want to live, with no rule or restraint on their lives, it shows that they have no fear of God. It is our actions that reveal the state of our heart, whether it be good or evil. Jesus said you will know them by their fruit or actions. Even a child can understand that someone is good or evil depending on what they do or don’t do.

My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee; So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding; Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.

Proverbs 2:1-5

These verses show that the Fear of the Lord requires our WHOLE HEART. We must diligently search out God’s commandments in all of His Word. We can’t choose and pick what we are going to obey. Man shall live by EVERY Word that proceeds out of the mouth of God. God expects us embrace the fear of the Lord with all our heart and all our mind. Our walks show the diligence or lack of diligence we’ve had in seeking out the commandments of the Lord. We are an open book, known and read of all men. What is your life teaching others? Does it teach the Fear of the Lord?

Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.

Ecclesiastes 12:13

The entire responsibility of mankind is to fear God. When we fear God, we keep His commandments. Hear and do, hear and obey. This is the path of righteousness that Christ has laid out for us. Remember that the spirit of the devil is at work in the children of disobedience. It is the Spirit of God that is at work in the children of God, the children of obedience. God is helping us to obey His Word, praise God!

Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

2 Corinthians 7:1

The fear of the Lord teaches us to discipline ourselves to obey the Word of God. God doesn’t suddenly take away our freewill. He gently leads us in the path of righteousness for His name sake. The fear of God gradually perfects holiness in our lives. It teaches us to be clean in our bodies and in our spirits. The fear of God touches every area of our lives. God gradually instructs us in all areas, but He does it decently and in order. Be sure that God will not stop perfecting holiness in you, as long as you are submitted to Him in the fear of the Lord.

Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:

Hebrews 12:28

Because God’s kingdom is unshakable and unmovable, it is a solid foundation for our lives. God’s grace teaches us to fear Him. It is the divine influence on our heart, which manifests obedience outwardly to God and the world. There is no true grace without obedience. There is no true grace without fear of the Lord.

Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.

Revelation 14:7

When we fear God, we bring Him much glory. It shows that we reverence the maker of heaven and earth. It shows that we trust His dominion and His power and His goodness in our lives. Because God made everything in the world that is good, it is reason enough for us to submit ourselves to Him in godly fear. Another reason to fear God is that He is the judge of all works. If we fear God, He will find us faithful servants and will reward us with eternal life, which is knowing Him and His Son Jesus.

Now therefore fear the LORD, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the LORD.

Joshua 24:14

When we fear the Lord, we serve Him sincerely, with all of our hearts, souls, mind and strength. We can’t fool God. He knows if we are obeying from the heart or whether we are just going through religious motions. The Fear of the Lord also requires the Truth. God’s Word is Truth. Truth is an accurate description of reality. It’s how things really are. We can trust God’s Word to be the Truth. We can then sanctify ourselves before the Lord in accordance with His Word. When we fear God, it inspires us to put away all false gods and all idol worship. God is a holy, jealous God and will not tolerate our hearts being double minded.

Ye that fear the LORD, praise him; all ye the seed of Jacob, glorify him; and fear him, all ye the seed of Israel.

Psalm 22:23

The fear of the Lord inspires us to praise and worship Him for who He is, the maker of all good things in the world and in our lives. The fear of the Lord brings gratitude and thanksgiving to Almighty God.

The secret of the LORD is with them that fear him; and he will shew them his covenant.

Psalm 25:14

God reveals some of His secrets to those that are close to Him through fearing Him. Only those that take the time to be intimate with God through fearing Him will find the glorious favor of the Lord. Worship the Lord in your secret place and watch what He will do for you!

For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD:

Proverbs 1:29

Fearing the Lord means that you love His Truth and His knowledge. It produces a hunger for the Word of God in our lives. Seeking the Lord daily means that you have a fear for Him and His commandments. The Fear of the Lord is something that must be chosen daily, moment to moment. Just because we formerly chose to follow the Lord doesn’t mean we will at this moment. We must continually guard our hearts to make sure the fear of the Lord is in us. Choices matter! All choices matter! Choose the fear of the Lord in all things.

Sanctify the LORD of hosts himself; and let him be your fear, and let him be your dread.

Isaiah 8:13

To fear the Lord, we need to set Him apart in our hearts as being holy and special. He is our number one priority. We must serve Christ above all things and all people. Allow the fear of God to be in your hearts in every part of your life.

Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men:

Isaiah 29:13

Fear of the Lord has to come from a sincere heart. To follow after the Lord means that our hearts belong to Him completely. Only the Word of God will produce a genuine fear of God in our lives. The teachings of men do not produce the fear of the Lord. We must be careful that we hear God’s Word and good teaching and preaching that rightly divides the Word of Truth. Commandments of men will cause us to stray from the path of righteousness.

To summarize, God is worthy of our fearing Him and obeying His commandments. Only He is the Creator God and only He is truly good. He is worthy of all service and all praise. He sent His Son Jesus Christ to die for us while we were yet sinners. He is merciful. His ways reveal a greater Truth than all the world’s wisdom combined. His commandments teach us and instruct us in the fear of the Lord. They are to be trusted above our own lives. When we fear the Lord, we stop doing our own will and start doing the will of the Father. His will is love and mercy for others. We will continually choose to fear God from moment to moment, into eternity with the Lord. Understanding the fear of the Lord truly brings illumination to our spirits and minds. Walk in the fear of the Lord my friends. Seek Him daily while He may be found and you will be wise in the sight of the Lord. If the Lord is pleased, does anything else really matter?